Traditional power generation relies on hydroelectric, nuclear, or fossil fuels sources such as coal, oil, gas, and other hydrocarbon-based sources. Fossil fuel sources are recognized as being non-renewable sources that are being depleted over time. Federal, state, and local governments have developed various incentives to encourage the development of power generation from renewable or non-hydrocarbon based energy sources.
“Renewable” energy sources include solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, wave and tidal energy, biomass, and biomass-based waste products, including landfill gas. Photovoltaic cells and heat engines are examples of devices for generating power from renewable energy sources.
These various sources are not uniformly available. Thus cost effective local generation of electrical power from wave and tidal energy, for example, can typically only be performed in coastal areas. Hydroelectric production is relegated in application to areas with flowing water (e.g., water reservoir with controlled flow release such as a dam or a river). Geothermal activity and wind-based production similarly depend upon the inherent geologic structures or climatic conditions. Most of the “renewable” solutions require significant infrastructure and cost or significant space that often renders them unsuitable for production in higher density urban areas.